Daily Number

2.2

May 21, 2014

New Jersey is one of 16 states with a rate of 2.6 foster kids or fewer per 1,000 children, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2011, the rate fluctuated between 0.8 and 8.6 nationally.

A majority of children in the system are eventually reunited with their families -- 64 percent in 2012. Of those reunited, 77 percent remain in the system for less than a year, ranking the state eighth nationally, according to HHS. What’s more, 92 percent of children in foster care were reunited with their families within two years.

Neverthless, there are children who are returned to foster care. In New Jersey, 8.3 percent of children in foster care had a previous foster-care placement.